Soft or flexible vinyl-foam materials typically are employed in a variety of forms, such as strips and sheets, for insulating, cushioning and other purposes. Such vinyl-foam material tends to melt and flow, on exposure to high temperatures or to open flame, and to lose shape and form and, thus, to contribute to its flammability. Flexible, vinyl-foam sheet materials are often die-cut, to provide sheet gasket materials of various shapes, and typically is die-cut for use as a draft shield in insulating electrical-switch and electrical-plug-outlet boxes to prevent air drafts and to conserve heat. While such flexible, polyvinyl-chloride foam sheet material as die-cut provides air-draft insulating properties, the vinyl-foam sheet is not dimensionally stable; that is, it changes in dimensions and is subject to shrinkage, when exposed to temperature changes. Further, the die-cut sheet gasket material, on exposure to open flame, particularly in a vertical configuration, tends to melt and flow and has less-than-desirable flame-resistance properties.
It is desirable to provide a new, improved, vinyl-foam gasket material, particularly a vinyl-foam gasket material which has increased flame resistance and improved dimensional stability.